Fluid cargo barge tank assembly



Sept. 6, 1955 c. w. BRANDON FLUID CARGO BARGE TANK ASSEMBLY Filed Feb.4, 1949 Clarence W. Brandon IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent 0 FLUID CARGO BARGE TANK ASSEMBLY Clarence W.Brandon, Tallahassee, Fla., assignor, by

direct and mesne assignments, of fourteen and onesixth per cent to N. A.Hardin, fourteen and one-sixth per cent to Hazel H. Wright, and fourteenand onesixth per cent to Catherine H. Newton, all of Forsyth, Ga., andfifteen per cent to Harvey B. Jacobson, Washington, D. C.

Application February 4, 1949, Serial No. 74,546

13 Claims. (Cl. 11474) This invention comprises novel and usefulimprovements in a multiple unit barge, and in general comprehendsapparatuses and methods for the storage, cooling and transportation ofvolatile liquids and other fluids. More specifically, it consists of abarge comprising a plurality of spaced, liquid containing tanks, whichare rigidly attached together to form a seaworthy vessel.

The industry of storing and transporting liquified volatile fluids haslong recognized that the basic difficulties to be overcome arise fromthe necessity of maintaining the confined volatile fluids at asuificiently low temperature to prevent their absorption of heat andconcomitant temperature and pressure rises, with the mechanical problemsassociated therewith.

Moreover, in that branch of the industry concerned with marinetransportation of such fluids, it has been well known that shallow draftbarges are necessary for use on coastal and inland waterways; but thatthe necessity for shallow draft in conjunction with the precedingditficulties has heretofore prevented the construction of seaworthybarges.

Still further, in coastal shipping particularly, the above difficultiesare accompanied and augmented by the problem of maintaining the barge intrim while loading or unloading portions of its contents.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide animproved barge and an improved method for transporting, storing and/orrefrigerating volatile liquids, such as propane, butane, ammonia, andthe like.

A very important object of this invention is to effectively unite aplurality of separate fluid storage tanks in rigid, spaced assembly withrespect to each other, to form in their entirety a durable and seaworthybarge.

A still further very important object is to provide a prow and/or sternassembly which may be readily applied and secured to a plurality oftanks for rigidly uniting the same to form a barge, to reinforce theends of the tank assembly, to provide additional buoyancy at stem andstern, to serve as vapor expansion chambers, as well as perform thecustomary functions of prow and stern.

An additional important object is to provide a barge of the characterset forth in the preceding paragraph, which shall be of shallow draft,yet having maximum stability when loading or unloading as well as whenin operation.

And a final important object to be specifically enumerated herein is toprovide a barge for transporting, storing and/ or refrigerating volatileliquids and the like which shall have a maximum of structural strengthand rigidity, a minimum of weight and be of a compact, simple anddurable construction.

An important feature of the invention resides inproviding a barge havinga plurality of liquid containing tanks which are rigidly connected inspaced, side-byside relation.

Still further features of the invention consist 1n providing a barge asset forth in the above p I P Patented Sept. 6, 1955 wherein suitableprow and stern assemblies are associated with the tank units of thebarge and directly mounted thereon to adapt the latter for navigationalduties and functions. A very important feature comprehends the abovementioned prow and stern assemblies as providing a reinforcing means forrigidly uniting the ends of the plurality of tanks forming the barge; ascontaining buoyancy tanks for maintaining the barge in trim duringloading and unloading and during periods of uneven loading; and asproviding expansion means for the confined volatile liquid in the tanks.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of separatevapor chambers mounted in the stem and/ or stern structure of the bargeand connected with the liquid storage compartments of the tanks forproviding an expansion space therefor, for promoting a refrigeratingaction by circulation of fluid between the tank and vapor space.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of theinvention which will later become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained in the manner and by the arrangements to behereinafter described, and of which the accompanying drawings are to beregarded as illustrative of the principles of the invention only, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a further modification of thebarge having buoyancy or expansion tanks in the prow and stern; and,

Figure 2 is a top plan view, parts being broken away, of the embodimentof Figure 1.

A fundamental principle of this invention is to employ the storage tanksof the volatile liquid as units of and as major components of the hullof a barge, thus reducing the amount of material and the weight of thebarge to an absolute minimum. The invention as set forth in the presentapplication is primarily concerned with rigidly securing a plurality ofsuch tank units into a barge assembly having the important desideratumof rigidity, strength, shallow draft, and stability. Various embodimentsand arrangements and varying numbers of tanks may be employed, but it isfelt that the principles of the invention may be best attained bycombining two or more such tanks in spaced side-by-side relationship andrigidly connecting the same together in varying manners includingparticularly across their ends, as set forth hereinafter. For purposesof simplicity in illustration, the invention has been illustrated in thedrawings as being applied to barges having a pair of tanks. Obviously,the principles of the invention are not so limited, and it will beunderstood that all are applicable to barges with three or more tankswhile some are capable of use with barges having but a single tank.

In the drawings, it will be seen that the barge proper includes a pairof tanks indicated at 19, which may be of any desired material, shapeand construction in accordance with the performance required of thesetanks, and which may satisfactorily be of elongated cylindricalconstruction with rounded ends fore and aft as indicated at 12. As willbe clearly apparent these tanks 10 are secured in parallel, spaced,side-by-side relation and are rigidly connected together.

There may be conveniently secured to the outermost side surfaces of thebarge one or more channel iron members 22 welded or otherwise rigidlyattached thereto which serve as rub rails or fenders which therebyprotect the sponsons from damage by collision, and upon which may beprovided customary towing bitts, by means of which the barge may beanchored or moored, or may be lashed or secured to adjacent barges asdesired. A

The seaworthiness of the barge may be further enhanced by providing atany suitable location, downwardly extending fin or web members 24serving as skegs or stabilizing fins for the barge. Obviously, theseskegs may extend downwardly any desired distance, and may be positionedat various locations upon the barge, as desired.

As shown best in Figures 1 and 2, the fore and aft portions of the bargeare provided with hollow prow and stern assemblies, separately formedand directly attached to and carried by the tanks. The. assemblies,which may be either permanently or detachably connected in any suitablemanner to the tanks, include decks 34 and 36, respectively, which extendtransversely of, overlie the front and rear ends of the tanks 10, andare rigidly attached thereto, serve the dual function of impartingrigidity to the structure as well as providing-a deck space for thecustomary purposes. The rear deck 361s provided with suitably contoureddepending plates 38 which merge into the lower surface of the tanks 1t)and are shaped to constitute a stern for the barge, while the front deck34 is provided with similar plates contoured to form a prow for thesame. Thus, it will be seen that the plurality of tanks, two or more,are rigidly attached in sideby-side relation to form the hull of thebarge, and are provided with a stem and stern assembly rigidly attachedthereto and directly carried thereby to form the association of tanksinto a seagoing vessel.

The prow, indicated at 46, likewise merges from the lower front portionof the tanks 19 upwardly to the front deck 34.

Although the specific construction of the same does not constitute apart of this invention, and hence has not been illustrated, reinforcingmembers such as webs 65 are provided for imparting the requisitestrength and rigidity to the prow and stern assemblies.

The stern assembly of the barge is provided with the usual rudder 50.

It will be further noted that in some instances it may be founddesirable to employ the space in the prow and stern assemblies of thebarge to accommodate buoyancy and/ or expansion tanks, such for exampleas the transversely disposed tanks 64 and 66 which may serve a varietyof purposes, such as adding buoyancy to the barge, constitutingadditional storage tanks for liquid cargo, constituting expansion tanksas set forth hereinafter, and additionally serving as part of thereinforcing members in the prow and stern assemblies to rigidify thebarge construction.

These transverse tanks may be welded or otherwise secured to suitablereinforcing frame members therein and thus supported by the prow and/ orstern of the barge independently of the main tank units 10, or, ifdesired, may be directly attached to the ends of the tanks 10 as well asto the prow and stern portions of the barge.

As will be clearly apparent, the prow and stern, comprising the decks 34and 36, the shells 40 and 38, together with the transverse tanks 64 and66, are carried directly by the front and rear ends of the tanks 10, and

are assembled thereon, either permanently orremovably, as separateunits.

It will thus be seen that the principles of this barge are equallyapplicable to parallel spaced tanks which contain the liquid cargo ofthe barge, and which are rigidly connected together in spaced relationby either an open framework which permits the complete access of watertherebetween, or by a closed framework which provides a longitudinallyextending chamber therebetween. In either event, novel features arebelieved to reside in a barge assembly consisting of two or more liquidcontaining tanks disposed in side-by-side relation and connectedtogether by a rigid framework and provided with prow and stern memberscarried by the tanks to form a seaworthy vessel.

Cooling system It is to be noted that the foregoing construction ispossessed of utility as a barge or vessel fortransporting and storingliquid cargo. However, in order to adapt such a vessel forthe specific.requirements pertainingto iii the transporting and storage of volatileliquids, various cooling systems are provided with a view to preventingthe liquid contents of the barge from exceeding a predeterminedtemperature, which would give rise to vaporization and expansion of theliquid contents and a dangerous rise in pressure of the volatileliquids.

As set forth in'my copending applications which have now matured intoPatents Nos. 2,869,461 and 2,869,462, it is highly desirable intransporting volatile liquids, such as liquefied butane, propane,ammonia or'the like, that these liquids shall be stored under pressureto maintain the same in liquid condition, and shall completely filltheir storage chamber in order to prevent the detrimental effects of apartially filled container, these defects including shifting centers ofgravity, rendering the vessel unseaworthy; unduly agitating-the liquidcargo, and the like. The present invention provides various features andstructural refinements of a barge with a view to preventing undueheating of the liquid contents. Positively cooling or refrigerating thesame by a thermodynamic .action, and providing better heat exchangerelation between the contents of the barge'and the cooler regions of thesurrounding water may be accomplished as in said patents.

Since in storing volatile liquids it is impossible to completely preventtemperature changes of the contents of the same, it is evident that someexpansion and contraction of the liquid cargo-is unavoidable.Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an expansion chamber to permitthis expansion and contraction. The present invention makes use of thisphenomenon in any of the various methods and constructions set forth inmy above identified copending patents, to produce a thermodynamiccirculation and cooling or refrigerating of the contents ofthe tanks.These expansion chambers may be positioned in numerous locations,as'within the tanks, upon the exterior surfaces of the tanks, aboveand/or between the tanks, and in the prow and stern assemblies, and thelike.

As was fully set forth in my above mentioned patents, this arrangementis such that when the confined bodies of volatile liquid in tanks it!are exposed to a source of heat, such as the suns rays, the upperportions thereof will be heated, and will therefore, in view of theconfinement of the liquid,'produce a rise in pressure which, in turn,overcomes the resistance of a relief valve and causes a-discharge offluid from the tanks 10, through the conduit-96, past'the spring-loadedpressure relief and reduction valve 97, and from thence into theexpansion tanks 64 and 66. This flow will tend to raise the pressure inthe tanks 64 or 66, while relieving that within the tanks 16). Thedifference between the two pressures will obviously be regulated by thepredetermined setting of the pressure relief valve. Moreover, this flowof fluid will not only relieve the pressure within the tanks 10, but bythe expansion of the volatile liquid so withdrawn will refrigerate'andcool the tanks 64, 66, the partition 86, and the adjacent, heatedportions of the tanks 10.

This discharge of volatile liquid from the pressure tanks 10 to theexpansion tanks 64, 66 will continue until the augmented pressure withinthe tanks 64, 66 will, with the asistance of the spring-loaded pressurerelief valve, equal the reduced pressure in tanks 10. The cooling oftanks 64, 66 by the expansion of the volatile liquid supplied by conduit96 will reduce the vapor pressure therein and thus serve to prolong thedischarge from tanks'll). As a result of this flow and of the coolingaction arising therefrom, it is evident that the heated upper portion ofthe contents of the pressure tanks 10 will be refrigerated and reducedin temperature, thereby reducing the pressure of the confined fluidtherein.

This reduced pressure will now be less than that of the tanks 64, 66,whereupon the greater pressure of the latter which is further increasedby the relatively greater absorption of heat from external sources'bythe tanks 64, 66 as compared with tanks 10, will force the dischargedfluid which has collected in the tanks 64,166,

through the return conduit 104, thereby forcing the latter into theupper end of the tanks 10. During this return flow, the volatile liquidis again expanded, thereby producing a cooling effect in going from themomentarily higher pressure of tanks 64, 66 into storage tanks 10. Thisreturn flow will continue until the pressures between the tanks 64, 66and tanks have been again equalized. It will thus be seen that astep-by-step, non-return circulating flow will be created between thestorage or pressure chamber and the vapor or expansion chamber, uponvariations in the relative temperatures and pressures of these chambers.The fluid expelled from the storage tanks 10 will be withdrawn from thecoolest portion thereof, that is, from the bottom portion which isembedded or submerged into the cooler subsurface layers of water inwhich the barge is floated, whereby the hotter portions of the confinedvolatile liquids will be more effectively and rapidly cooled by thisflow, and whereby the heated portions will be thus reduced intemperature.

The full operation of this circulating system has been fully set forthin my above identified patents and a more detailed explanation thereofis believed to be unnecessary in this application.

From the foregoing, it is felt that the various constructions andoperations in accordance with the principles of this invention will befully understood, and further explanation thereof is believed to beunnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and equivalents will readily occurto those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoingspecification andaccompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction shown and described, but allsuitable modification and equivalents may be resorted to falling withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A barge for the transportation of fluids comprising a pair of fluidstorage tanks, means for securing said storage tanks in side by siderelation for forming the fluid cargo carrying hull of a barge, and endassembly adapted to constitute the prow or the stern of a barge, meansfor directly securing said end assembly to one end of said storage tanksin embracing relation thereto to form with said storage tanks an end ofthe barge, an expansion tank, means establishing communication betweensaid expansion tank and one of said storage tanks for fluid flowtherebetween, means mounting said expansion tank in said end assembly inbracing relation thereto to thereby constitute a reinforcing memberthereof, means directly securing said expansion tank to said storagetanks for comprising a reinforcing means therefor.

2. A barge for the transportation of fluids comprising a pair of fluidstorage tanks secured in side by side relation to constitute a fluidcargo carrying hull of a barge, prow and stern assemblies each directlysecured to one of the ends of said storage tanks in embracing relationthereto to constitute with said storage tanks a barge, an expansion tankpositioned in one of said assemblies, means connecting the assembly andtank thereby forming a unitary reinforced member, said expansion tankbeing secured to the ends of the storage tanks to which its assembly issecured for providing a reinforcing brace for said storage tanks, meansoperably connecting the expansion tank to a storage tank wherebypressure changes may be communicated therebetween.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said last means establishescommunication between said expansion tank and each of said storagetanks.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said expansion tank extendstransversely of the assembly thereby constituting a transverse strut forits assembly.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said communication establishingmeans communicates with both of said storage tanks.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said one end assembly includes adeck, said expansion tank being secured to and reinforcing said deck.

7. A barge for the transportation of fluids comprising a pair of fluidstorage tanks secured in side by side relation to constitute a fluidcargo carrying hull of a barge, prow and stern assemblies each directlysecured to one of the ends of said storage tanks in embracing relationthereto to constitute with said storage tanks a barge, an

expansion tank in each of said assemblies mounted therein and bracedthereagainst and forming a reinforcing member thereof, each expansiontank being secured to the adjacent ends of said storage tanks forproviding a reinforcing brace therefor, means establishing operativecommunication between each expansion tank and one of said storage tanks.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein one of said assemblies includes adeck and has its expansion tank directly secured to said deck forreinforcing the latter.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein one of said expansion tanks hasits communication establishing means communicating with both of saidstorage tanks.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said expansion tanks hasits communication establishing means communicating with both of saidstorage tanks.

11. The combination of claim 7 wherein one of said assemblies has adeck, sa-id deck being secured directly to its expansion tank and to thetop surface of the adjacent ends of the storage tanks.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said storage tanks are in directheat transfer relation with the water surrounding the barge and theexpansion tank is housed with the hollow interior of said end assemblyand is out of direct heat exchange relation with the water.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein said storage tanks are in directheat transfer relation with the water surrounding the barge and each ofthe expansion tanks is housed with the hollow interior of said endassemblies and is out of direct heat exchange relation with the water.

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